Stay
by Redline57
Summary: Short bit about Natsumi and Saki on moving day


Natsumi looked at her best friend with heavy eyes. Saki was staring at her, glaring really, with her arms folded. She could practically see the heat radiating from the blonde.

"Shut it, Saki!"

"That's right! You won't have to see me when you wake up anymore, and I won't have to put up with your awful tennis playing!"

"Yeah and I won't have to put up with your…" The girl grinded her teeth, and looked at the girl, about to say something she would regret, but she choked, knowing that what the girl said was right about not being there when she woke up.

Natsumi balled her fists, gritted her teeth and lunged forward toward the girl.

"Saki!"

Before she could react, Natsumi had pinned her against the wall, arms wrapped as tight around her as she possibly could. The shock and impact knocked the wind out of her. As soon as her senses cleared, Saki readied herself to retaliate. She inhaled heavily, ready to scream back at the girl. Just a fraction of a second before she could scream, she heard the saddest sound she had ever heard. The weakest whimper, like a cold puppy in the street on a dark winter's night. But it was coming from the girl who she was about to clobber. She heard the faintest whisper in her left ear.

"Saki….Saki…" The girl's heart stopped as she felt a shaking, and a warmth on her shoulder. _Tears?_

"Natsumi?"

"Saki don't go! Please! I…I…love you! I love you more than anything in the world Saki!" Saki stood there frozen for a second, utterly shocked. Her mind zoned out for a moment, thinking of what her oldest friend had just said. She looked down and as reality kicked in, her senses registered. She felt her best friend hugging her, crying into her, sobbing hysterically, and who just told her that she loved her more than anything in the world. Her mind raced at a million miles an hour with a million thoughts whipping through her mind. Though her mind was overwhelmed, her heart had it figured out in one second. She loved Natsuki too. The floodgate broke down and Saki wrapped her arms tightly around Natsuki, who was openly and loudly crying into her shoulder.

"Natsumi..." Saki couldn't contain herself and shut her eyes tight, crying into her best friend's shoulder. The two held each other tightly as their bodies shook violently, tears wracking their bodies.

"I just can't be without you! I can't live without seeing you every day!"

"I can't be without you either!"

"I love you Saki!"

"I love you Natsumi!" The girls cried their hearts out, releasing every bit of tension between the two. They cried for about five minutes, Saki sliding down the wall, never releasing her grip on the redhead. By the time they had stopped, both lay with red eyes, Saki gently stroking Natsuki's hair.

"I can't believe it. This whole time I…"

"Saki, I'll do anything. I talked to someone nearby who will give me a job. I can make some money and I'll offer to pay for your food and living expenses. I'll even get a futon or even a cot to sleep on so you can have my bed. I'll do anything, but I…I just can't be without you." The blonde stared at her best friend, overwhelmed by the girl's outburst but more by her confession of just how much she would be willing to give up just to be near her every day. She mulled it over for a moment, thinking of what exactly to say.

"I. Um. I never realized I meant _that_ much you to Natsuki. To be honest I never thought you meant that much to…wait. I don't want to say ' _I didn't realize you meant a lot to me_ '. I know that. I just didn't know…Natsuki, I didn't mean to say I love you like I want to "be" with you. I just…you're like a sister to me. But closer. I, um. I don't know. I didn't realize how much it hit me until now." Natsuki looked at the girl with an apprehensive look. "Maybe I did. Okay fine, geez you know me too well don't you? Maybe I was...you know. Hiding it. I didn't think it was going to be _this_ strong." The two were interrupted by a loud voice from downstairs.

"Saki! We've got to get going!" The voice from downstairs scared both girls half to death.

"Be there in a minute mom!" Saki looked down at her best friend, both of them about to start crying again. Saki sighed heavily. "Okay, look. Next year things will be different. It's possible I can apply to a school in your district. I'm going to do it. This isn't goodbye. I know this will be hard, but I can't go forever without you." Natsuki started to cry again. "Hey now. Look, I'll be back in a month to visit. You work on your mom, I'll work on mine. I'm pretty sure if I can get into an A ranked school out here, she will be willing to let me relocate. Maybe. But you've got to do the same! You have to study alright?" Saki started to cry herself. "Natsuki!" The girl broke down in tears, holding her tight against herself, both of them sprawled out on the ground. "I won't be here tomorrow morning! I need to see you through the curtains. I need to hear your voice in the morning." The two began sobbing quietly, holding each other with the little energy they had left.

"Saki! You've two minutes!" The blonde's mother called from downstairs. The two leaned back, still in each other's embrace, and looked into each other's eyes, both trying to smile and leave a good lasting memory. Natsuki spoke first.

"I'll call you every day. I promise. We'll talk and text all the time just like now. Okay?" Saki's upper lip shook at she tried her best to smile.

"Okay."

"This isn't goodbye forever. This is until we meet again."

"Um. Natsuki? Can I…give you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Well…"she leaned back, separating the girls some, and reached into her pocket to fiddle around. "It's my most prized possession. There's something one of a kind that I can only ever give to one person and I want it to be you." She looked down, pulling her hand out of her pocked with clearly nothing in it. She blushed and looked up to see Natsuki with the same blush. _Oh good at least I don't have to_ say _it._

"I…I…mine too." Natsuki crawled up the girl and pressed her lips against her best friends', immediately closing her eyes. The two both cried during their first kiss, both shared for each other, and wrapped their arms around each other firmly. The door swung open but neither could be bothered to pay attention. Both of their mothers looked shocked at their daughter's on the ground sharing their first kiss with one another. Saki's mom grabbed Natsuki's mom by the wrist and lead her downstairs quietly so as not to disturb the two.

"Maybe we should reconsider separating the girls."


End file.
